Trump says he and Xi discussed cyberattacks and spying between US, China

"Trump said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed cyberattacks and espionage activities carried out by both nations during their bilateral meeting this week. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during his return flight to the United States, Trump said, “I did. And he talked about attacks that we did in China. Y'know, what they do, we do too.” He added, “They're talking about the spying. Well, we do it too,” and “We spy like hell on them too.”"

"Trump said, “I told him, 'we do a lot of stuff to you that you don't know about and you're doing things to us that we probably do know about,'” without describing specific cyber campaigns. China has made waves in recent years for sweeping intrusions into telecommunications systems, government agencies and other infrastructure in the U.S. and around the world. One campaign tied to Volt Typhoon involves cyberspies burrowing into critical infrastructure systems like power grids and water treatment plants, with the goal of potentially disrupting or sabotaging them to distract the American public if China moves to invade Taiwan, officials have assessed."

"Asked about these intrusions, Trump said, “Well, you don't know that. I mean, I'd like to see it, but it's very possible that they do.” The remarks offered a rare public acknowledgment of clandestine efforts the U.S. deploys to monitor Chinese computer networks and government officials. Intelligence agencies like the NSA and CIA rely on covert tools, capabilities and secret partnerships to track foreign adversaries. The CIA has also made a more public effort to recruit Chinese officials as assets, with video campaigns aimed at recruiting Chinese personnel that have been working and have “inspired new sources,” an agency official previously said."

Trump said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed cyberattacks and espionage during their bilateral meeting. Trump stated that both countries conduct attacks and spying, describing mutual activity without naming specific campaigns. He said China’s intrusions into U.S. telecommunications, government agencies, and infrastructure have been significant in recent years. Officials have assessed that a campaign linked to Volt Typhoon targets critical infrastructure such as power grids and water treatment plants, potentially enabling disruption or sabotage in a Taiwan-related scenario. Trump said it was possible China conducts such intrusions. His remarks also acknowledged U.S. monitoring of Chinese computer networks and officials, including covert tools and secret partnerships used by intelligence agencies. The CIA has also pursued recruiting Chinese officials as assets through public-facing video campaigns.

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